Created by T.

Madas

PROOF
BY
INDUCTION

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 Created by T. Madas

SUMMATION
RESULTS

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 1 (**)
Prove by induction that


r =1
r ( r + 1) =
1
3
n ( n + 1)( n + 2 ) , n ≥ 1 , n ∈
.

FP1-A , proof

Question 2 (**)
Prove by induction that

r =1
1
r ( r + 3) = n ( n + 1)( n + 5 ) , n ≥ 1 , n ∈
.
3

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 3 (**+)
Prove by induction that

r =1
( r − 1)( r + 1) =
1
6
n ( n − 1)( 2n + 5 ) , n ≥ 1 , n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 4 (**+)
Prove by induction that


r =2
r 2 ( r − 1) =
1
12
n ( n − 1)( n + 1)( 3n + 2 ) , n ≥ 2 , n ∈
.

FP1-E , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 5 (**+)
Prove by induction that

1 2
1 + 8 + 27 + 64 + ... + n3 = n 2 ( n + 1) , n ≥ 1 , n ∈
.
4

proof

Question 6 (***)
Prove by induction that

r =1
( 2r − 1)2 =
1
3
n ( 2n − 1)( 2n + 1) , n ≥ 1 , n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 7 (***)
Prove by induction that

(
r =1
r 3r − 1) = n 2 ( n + 1) , n ≥ 1 , n ∈
.

proof

Question 8 (***)
Prove by induction that

( r =1
1
=
n
r r + 1) n + 1
, n ≥ 1, n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 9 (***)
Prove by induction that

(
r =1
)
3r −1 =
3n − 1
2
, n ≥ 1, n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 10 (***+)
Prove by induction that


r =1
r
2 r
= 2−
n+2
2n
, n ≥ 1, n ∈
.

FP1-J , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 11 (***+)
Prove by induction that

 r =1
1
2
4r − 1
=
n
2n + 1
, n ≥ 1, n ∈
.

FP1-N , proof

Question 12 (***+)
Prove by induction that

 r =1
r × 2r = 2 + ( n − 1) 2n+1 , n ≥ 1 , n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 13 (***+)
Prove by induction that

 (
r =1
r + 1) × 2r  = n × 2n , n ≥ 1 , n ∈
.


proof

Question 14 (***+)
If n ≥ 1 , n ∈
, prove by induction that

1× 1! + 2 × 2! + 3 × 3! + ... + n × n! = ( n + 1)! − 1 .

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 15 (***+)
Prove by induction that

 r =1
r × 2− r = 2 − ( n + 2 ) 2 − n , n ≥ 1 , n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 16 (****)
Prove by induction that

 r =1
2r 2 − 1
r 2 ( r + 1)
2
=
n2
( n + 1)2
, n ≥ 1, n ∈
.

FP1-R , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 17 (****)
Prove by induction that

  (
r =1
r r − 1) − 1 = 1 n ( n + 2 )( n − 2 ) , n ≥ 1 , n ∈
.
3

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 18 (****)
Prove by induction that


r =1
r × 2r
( r + 2 )!
= 1−
2n+1
( n + 2 )!
, n ≥ 1, n ∈
.

FP1-U , proof

Question 19 (****)
Prove by induction that

2 1
( )
12 + 32 + 52 + 7 2 + ... + ( 2n − 1) ≡ n 4n 2 − 1 , n ≥ 1 , n ∈
.
3

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 20 (****)
Prove by mathematical induction that if n is a positive integer then

(
r =1
2
( )
3r − 2 ) = 1 n 6n 2 − 3n − 1 .
2

You may not use other methods of proof in this question.

FP1-Y , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 21 (****)
Prove by mathematical induction that if n is a positive integer then

r =1
3r + 2
r ( r + 1)( r + 2 )
=
n ( 2n + 3)
( n + 1)( n + 2 )
.

You may not use other methods of proof in this question.

FP1-L , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 22 (****)
Prove by induction that

  r −1  n −1
( )1
 r ( r + 1) 2

( ) (n
1
 = 16 − 2

2
)
+ 5n + 8 , n ≥ 1 , n ∈
.
r =1

FP1-P , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

DIVISIBILITY
RESULTS

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 1 (**)

f ( n ) = 7n + 5 , n ∈
.

Prove by induction that f ( n ) is divisible by 6 , for all n ∈
.

proof

Question 2 (**)

f ( n ) = 6n + 4 , n ∈
.

Prove by induction that f ( n ) is divisible by 5 , for all n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 3 (**)

f ( n ) = 5n + 3 , n ∈
.

Prove by induction that f ( n ) is divisible by 4 , for all n ∈
.

proof

Question 4 (**)
Prove by induction that for all natural numbers n ,

42 n − 1

is divisible by 15 .

FP1-B , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 5 (**)
Prove by induction that for all natural numbers n ,

72 n−1 + 1

is divisible by 8 .

proof

Question 6 (**)
Prove by induction that for all natural numbers n ,

32 n + 7 is divisible by 8 .

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 7 (**)

f ( n ) = 32 n − 1 , n ∈
.

Prove by induction that f ( n ) is a multiple of 8 , for all n ∈
.

proof

Question 8 (**+)

f ( n ) = 4 n + 6n − 1 , n ∈
.

Prove by induction that f ( n ) is divisible by 3 , for all n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 9 (**+)

f ( n ) = 5 n + 8n + 3 , n ∈
.

Prove by induction that f ( n ) is divisible by 4 , for all n ∈
.

proof

Question 10 (**+)

f ( n ) = 34 n + 24 n + 2 , n ∈

Prove by induction that f ( n ) is divisible by 5 , for all n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 11 (**+)
Prove by induction that for all natural numbers n ,

9n − 5n

is divisible by 4 .

proof

Question 12 (**+)

f ( n ) = ( 4 n + 3 ) 5n − 3 , n ∈
.

Prove by induction that f ( n ) is divisible by 16 , for all n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 13 (***)
Prove by induction that the sum of the cubes of any three consecutive positive integers
is always divisible by 9 .

FP1-D , proof

Question 14 (***)
Prove by induction that for all natural numbers n , such that n ≥ 2 ,

15n − 8n−2 ,

is divisible by 7 .

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 15 (***)
Prove by induction that for all natural numbers n ,

( 2n + 1) 7 n + 11 ,

is divisible by 4 .

proof

Question 16 (***)

f ( n ) = 24 × 24 n + 34 n , n ∈
.

Prove by induction that f ( n ) is divisible by 5 , for all n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 17 (***)

f ( n ) = 4 × 7 n + 3 × 5n + 5 , n ∈
.

Prove by induction that f ( n ) is divisible by 12 , for all n ∈
.

proof

Question 18 (***)

f ( n ) = ( 2n + 1) 7 n − 1 , n ∈

Prove by induction that f ( n ) is divisible by 4 , for all n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 19 (***+)
Prove by induction that for all natural numbers n ,

4n + 6n − 1

is divisible by 9 .

FP1-Q , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 20 (***+)
Prove by induction that for all natural numbers n ,

4n +1 + 52 n−1

is divisible by 21 .

FP1-M , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 21 (***+)

f ( n ) = 52 n + 3n − 1 , n ∈
.

Prove by induction that f ( n ) is divisible by 9 , for all n ∈
.

proof

Question 22 (****)
Prove by induction that 18 is a factor of 4n + 6n + 8 , for all n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 23 (****)
Prove by induction that for all natural numbers n ,

2n + 6n

is divisible by 8 .

FP1-V , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 24 (***+)
Prove by mathematical induction that if n is a positive integer then 32 n+3 + 2n+3 is
always divisible by 7 .

FP1-Z , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 25 (***+)
Prove by mathematical induction that if n is a positive integer then 5n −1 + 11n is
always divisible by 6 .

FP1-K , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 26 (***+)
Prove by the method of induction that

33n−2 + 24 n−1 , n ∈
,

is divisible by 11.

FP1-G , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 27 (***+)

f ( n ) = 8n − 2 n , n ∈

Prove by induction that f ( n ) is divisible by 6 , for all n ∈
.

proof

Question 28 (***+)

f ( n ) = 7 n − 2n , n ∈

Prove by induction that f ( n ) is divisible by 5 , for all n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 29 (***+)

f ( n ) = n 3 + 5n , n ∈
.

a) Show that n 2 + n + 2 is always even for all n ∈
.

b) Hence, prove by induction that f ( n ) is divisible by 6 , for all n ∈
.

proof

Question 30 (***+)
A sequence of positive numbers is given by

an = 12 n+1 + 2 × 5n , n ∈
.

Prove by induction that every term of the sequence is a multiple of 7

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 31 (***+)

f ( r ) = 4 + 6r , r ∈
.

Prove by induction that f ( r ) is divisible by 10

proof

Question 32 (***+)
Prove by induction that for all natural numbers n , the following expression

7 n + 4n + 1

is divisible by 6 .

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 33 (***+)
A sequence of positive numbers is given by

un = 7 n + 3n + 8 , n ∈
.

Prove by induction that every term of the sequence is a multiple of 9

proof

Question 34 (***+)

f ( n ) = 5n+1 − 4n − 5 , n ∈
.

Prove by induction that f ( n ) is divisible by 16

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 35 (***+)
A sequence of positive numbers is given by

un = 23n+ 2 + 5n +1 , n∈
.

Prove by induction that every term of the sequence is a multiple of 3 .

proof

Question 36 (***+)

f ( n ) = 32 n + 4 − 22 n , n ∈

Prove by induction that f ( n ) is divisible by 5 , for all n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

RECURRENCE
RELATIONS

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 1 (**)
A sequence of integers is defined recursively by the relation

an+1 = an − 4 , a1 = 3 , n = 1, 2,3,...

Prove by induction that its n th term is given by

an = 7 − 4n , n = 1, 2,3,...

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 2 (**)
A sequence of integers t1 , t2 , t3 , … is given by the recurrence relation

tn +1 = 3tn + 2 , t1 = 1 , n ∈
.

Prove by induction that its n th term of the sequence is given by

tn = 2 × 3n −1 − 1 , n ∈
.

FP4-M , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 3 (**)
A sequence of integers is defined inductively by the relation

an+1 = 3an + 4 , a1 = 3 , n = 1, 2,3,...

Prove by induction that its n th term is given by

an = 5 × 3n−1 − 2 , n = 1, 2,3,...

proof

Question 4 (**)
The terms of a sequence can be generated by the recurrence relation

bn+1 = 4bn + 2 , b1 = 2 , n = 1, 2,3,...

Prove by induction that the n th term of the sequence is given by

( )
bn = 2 4n − 1 , n = 1, 2,3,...
3

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 5 (**)
A sequence is defined by the recurrence relation

un+1 = 7un − 3 , u1 = 7 , n = 1, 2,3,...

Prove by induction that its n th term is given by

1
un =
2
( )
13 × 7 n −1 + 1 , n = 1, 2,3,...

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 6 (**)
A sequence of integers a1 , a2 , a3 , a4 , … is given by

an+1 = 3an + 2 , a1 = 2 , n = 1, 2,3, ...

Prove by induction that its n th term is given by

an = 3 × 3n−1 − 1 , n = 1, 2,3, ...

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 7 (**+)
A certain sequence can be generated by the recurrence relation

1
un+1 = ( 2un − 1) , u1 = 1 , n = 1, 2,3,...
3

Prove by induction that the n th term of the sequence is given by

n
2
un = 3   − 1 , n = 1, 2,3,...
3

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 8 (***+)
A sequence is defined recursively by

3
un+1 = , u1 = 3 , n = 1, 2,3,...
4 − un 4

Prove by induction that

3n +1 − 3
un = , n = 1, 2,3,...
3n +1 − 1

FP4-U , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 9 (***+)
A sequence is defined recursively by

un+1 = un + 3k − 2 , u1 = 3 , n = 1, 2,3,...

Prove by induction that

un = 1 ( 3n − 1)( n − 2 ) + 4 , n = 1, 2,3,...
2

SYNF-D , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 10 (***+)
A sequence is defined recursively by

un
un+1 = , u1 = 2 , n ∈
.
un + 1

By writing the above recurrence relation in the form

B
un+1 = A + ,
un + 1

where A and B are integers, use proof by induction to show that

2
un = , n∈
.
2n − 1

FP4-X , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 11 (***+)
A sequence is generated by the recurrence relation

un+ 2 = 5un+1 − 6un , u1 = 5 , u2 = 13 , n = 1, 2,3,...

Prove by induction that n th term of this sequence is given by

un = 2n + 3n , n = 1, 2,3,...

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 12 (****)
A sequence is generated by the recurrence relation

un+ 2 = 6un+1 − 8un , u1 = 0 , u2 = 32 , n = 1, 2,3,...

Prove by induction that n th term of this sequence is given by

un = 4n+1 − 2n+3 , n = 1, 2,3,...

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 13 (****)
A sequence is generated by the recurrence relation

un+ 2 = un+1 + un , u1 = 0 , u2 = 1 , n = 1, 2,3,...

Prove by induction that u5m is a multiple of 5 , for all m ∈
.

FP1-X , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 14 (****+)
A sequence of numbers is given by the recurrence relation

5un − 1
un+1 = , u1 = 1 , n ∈
, n ≥ 1 .
4un + 1

Prove by induction that the n th term of the sequence is given by

n+2
un = .
2n + 1

SPX-A , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 15 (****+)
A sequence of numbers is given by the recurrence relation

un − 5
un+1 = , u1 = −1 , n ∈
, n ≥ 1 .
3un − 7

Prove by induction that the n th term of the sequence is given by

2n+1 − 5
un = .
2n+1 − 3

FP4-Z , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

POWERS
OF
MATRICES

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 1 (**)
Prove by induction that

 1 1   1 2 − 1
n n
  =  , n ≥ 1, n ∈
.
 0 2   0 2n 

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 2 (**)
A transformation where  2   2 is defined by

1 2
A= .
0 1

a) Find the elements of the matrices, A 2 and A3 .

b) Write down a suitable form for A n and use the method of proof by induction to
prove it.

1 4 3 1 6 n  1 2n 
FP1-O , A 2 =   , A =  , A = 
0 1 0 1 0 1 

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 3 (**)
Prove by induction that if n ≥ 1, n ∈
, then

n
 −2 −1 1 − 3n − n 
  = .
 9 4   9n 3n + 1 

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 4 (**)

3 0
A= 
6 1

Prove by induction that if n ≥ 1, n ∈
, then

 3n 0
A =
n .
 (
 3 3n − 1 ) 1


proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 5 (**)
Prove by induction that

n
 5 8  1 + 4n 8n 
  =  , n ≥ 1, n ∈
.
 −2 −3   −2n 1 − 4n 

proof

Question 6 (**)

 2 1
M= .
 −1 0 

Prove by induction that

 n +1 n 
Mn =   , n ≥ 1, n ∈
.
 −n 1 − n 

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 7 (**+)

 2 3
A= 
 0 1

Prove by induction that

 2n
An = 
( )
3 2n − 1 
 , n ≥ 1, n ∈
.
0 
 1 

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 8 (**+)
Prove by induction that

n  1 n ( n + 1) 
 1 1 1  1 n 2 
    , n ≥ 1, n ∈
.
 0 1 1 =  0 1 n

 0 0 1
  0 0 1 
 

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 9 (**+)
Prove by induction that

n 
1 1 2 1 n ( )
1 n 2 + 3n 
2 
    , n ≥ 1, n ∈
.
0 1 1 = 0 1 n

0 0 1
  0 0 1 
 

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 10 (*****)

1 0
A= 
 2 1

Prove by induction that

A n = nA − ( n − 1) I , n ≥ 1 , n ∈
.

SPX-B , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

MISCELLANEOUS
RESULTS

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 1 (**+)
De Moivre’s theorem states

( cosθ + i sin θ )n ≡ cos nθ + isin nθ , n∈
.

Prove this theorem by induction.

proof

Question 2 (**+)

( )
un = 3 8n − 1 , n ∈
.
7

Prove by induction that every term of this sequence is an integer.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 3 (**+)

(
r =1
2
2r + 1) = ( n + 1) , n ∈

a) Show that if the above result holds for n = k , then it also holds for n = k + 1 .

b) Explain why the result is not true.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 4 (**+)
The distinct square matrices A and B have the properties

• AB = B5 A

• B6 = I

where I is the identity matrix.

a) Show that BAB = A .

b) Hence prove by induction that B n AB n = A , for all n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 5 (***)

xy + 3 y = x .

Prove by induction

dn d n−1
( x + 3) n( ) (
y + n + 1) ( y) = 0 .
dx dx n−1

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 6 (***)
Bernoulli's inequality asserts that if a ∈  , a > −1 and n ∈
, n ≥ 2 , then

(1 + a )n > 1 + an .

Prove, by induction, the validity of Bernoulli's identity.

SYNF-A , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 7 (***+)
Prove by induction that


r =1
r>
1 2
2
n , for n ≥ 1 , n ∈
.

proof

Question 8 (***+)
Prove by induction that

 r =1
r2 ≥
1
4
2
n ( n + 1) , for n ≥ 1 , n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 9 (****)
Prove by induction that

2 n > 2n , for n ≥ 3 , n ∈
.

proof

Question 10 (****)
Prove by induction that

2n > n 2 , for n ≥ 5 , n ∈
.

proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 11 (****)
Prove by induction that if n ∈
, n ≥ 3 , then

2
3n > ( n + 1) .

SYNF-N , proof

Question 12 (****)
Prove by induction that for all even natural numbers n

dn n
n ( sin 3x ) = ( −1) 2 × 3n × sin 3x .
dx

FP1-W , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 13 (****+)
Prove by induction that for n ≥ 1 , n ∈

n
( ).
sin 2n x
∏ ( cos ( 2 x ) ) =
r =1
r −1
n
2 sin x

SPX-H , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 14 (****+)
Prove by induction that

sin ( 2nx )
cos x + cos3 x + cos 5 x + ... + cos ( 2n − 1) x  ≡ .
2sin x

SPX-J , proof

Question 15 (****+)
Prove by induction that every positive integer power of 5 can be written as the sum of
squares of two distinct positive integers.

SPX-F , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 16 (*****)
Prove by induction that

dn 1
n(
e x cos x ) = 2 e x cos ( x + nπ ) ,
n
2 n ≥ 1, n ∈
.
dx 4

SPX-D , proof

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 Created by T. Madas

Question 17 (*****)
It is given that for n ∈

7un + 12
un+1 = , u1 = 7 .
un + 3

Prove by induction that

un > 6 .

FP4-S , proof

Question 18 (*****)
Prove by induction that every positive integer power of 14 can be written as the sum of
squares of three distinct positive integers.

SPX-R , proof

Created by T. Madas
 Created by T. Madas

Question 19 (*****)
It is given that for n ∈

2n
Un = U n−1 , U1 = 2 .
2n + 1 3

Prove by induction that

n
 2n 
Un ≤   .
 2n + 1 

SPX-L , proof

Created by T. Madas
 Created by T. Madas

Question 20 (*****)
Prove by induction that

dn
dx n ( e sin ( 3x )) = 2 e sin (
x n x
3)
3x + nπ , n ≥ 1, n ∈
.

SPX-P , proof

Created by T. Madas
 Created by T. Madas

Question 21 (*****)
The function f ( x ) is defined by

1
f ( x ) = 2 − , x ∈ , x ≠ 0 .
x

a) Prove that

f n ( x) =
( n + 1) x − n , n ≥ 1,
nx − ( n − 1)

where f n ( x ) denotes the n th composition of f ( x ) by itself.

b) State an expression for the domain of f n ( x ) .

n −1
SPX-N , x ∈ , x ≠
n

Created by T. Madas
 Created by T. Madas

Question 22 (*****)
Prove by induction that if n ∈
, n ≥ 3 , then

n
n n+1 > ( n + 1) ,

and hence deduce that if n ∈
, n ≥ 3 , then

n n +1
n > n +1

SPX-C , proof

Created by T. Madas